Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - saddle sores

when I do a long 12 or 24 hour mtn bike endurance, the next day I will usually end up with a big painful boil like zit between my ass and the top of my thigh any ideas on how i can prevent this from happening?:thumb:

title was a little too raw for BF, so I changed it to the name that everyone else uses for this phenomenon. I use triple antibiotic ointment as a chamois cream and after a long ride and it does seem to help. There are any number of chamois creams sold. If you aren't wearing cycling shorts with a chamois, that will probably help your problem.

Besides what's been said, try lowering your saddle a few mm.

This is the best stuff for everything skin issue, BAG BALM. They sell it at Costco even. Originally used for milking cows, but turns out good for alot of things, including saddle sores.

Above is all good. Three other things:

Every day and after cycling, use a dandruff shampoo on your crotch. I like Tegrin, green cap. Put it on first and rinse it off last.

Your saddle may be a little too wide right there. You may need a more T-shaped saddle.

Your shorts pad may be too heavy. Try a thinner pad. This is the same answer as the saddle answer really, just a different way of doing it.

You need to distinguish between an actual infection and raw skin. Sounds a bit more like the latter, which is a whole lot easier to deal with.
Recurrent infections (boils) usually drain pus and require drainage (cutting open) and perhaps, though not always antibiotics. They also
tend to occur in other places on occasion. Raw skin, abraded away by the friction between saddle/shorts/skin suggests you need a different
saddle, better shorts and some lubrication til this is sorted out. On a 12-24 hour ride periodic changing into dry shorts is a good idea, bag balm
is a good lube (basically it is petroleum jelly with a bit of menthol and something else innocuous and odorous thrown in-minimal antibacterial
capacity, but good lube). Tribiotic ointment is petroleum jelly contaminated with several topical antibiotics, one of which (neomycin) is a skin
sensitizer and can cause a poison ivy like rash if used too long. Polysporin is a better choice, but petroleum jelly works just as well for lube
purpose and is a lot cheaper. Raw skin will heal in a week or so, assuming you didn't rub through the dermis and expose fat, hard to do
unless you are highly pain tolerant, but that is the definition of a 24hr racer isn't it? Infections are a whole nother topic, especially in view
of the CA-MRSA floating around the past 6-8yrs.

1) Take steps to make sure your bicycle fits you property.

2) Get a decent saddle.

3) Get a decent pair of shorts (not necessarily padded)